Rosalyn Tureck: The Greatest Bach Pianist You’ve Never Heard Of

by Emily E. Hogstad

Most classical music lovers know about Glenn Gould and his legendary recordings of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

But do you know about Rosalyn Tureck, the incredible keyboard player who inspired him?

Over the course of her very long career, Rosalyn Tureck wore countless hats as a pianist, theremin player, harpsichordist, keyboard player, composer, conductor, teacher, and all-around great musical thinker.

Rosalyn Tureck

Today, we’re looking at her life, including the mystical experience in a Juilliard practice room that changed the course of her career, her fascinating experiments with very new (and very old) instruments, and how her playing inspired a young Glenn Gould.

Rosalyn Tureck’s Early Education

Rosalyn Tureck was born on 14 December 1913 in Chicago to two Russian-Jewish immigrants.

Her whole family was musical. Her grandfather worked as a cantor in Kiev, and her mother taught her three daughters to play piano.

When Rosalyn was nine, she began taking lessons from Sophia Brilliant-Liven. Brilliant-Liven had an impressive resume: she’d studied under Anton Rubinstein, the pianist who had founded the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

She was also a strict teacher. Tureck later remembered that for an entire four years, she never received a single compliment.

The first compliment came after Rosalyn won a major competition at thirteen. Brilliant-Liven heard her performance and told her, “If I had been listening from outside the auditorium, I would have sworn it was Anton Rubinstein himself playing.”

A Fascination With New (and Old) Technology

Rosalyn Tureck

From an early age, Tureck demonstrated what would become a lifelong interest in new musical technology.

She was especially taken by an electronic instrument called the theremin, which was patented in 1928. When she was ten years old, she had the opportunity to meet the instrument’s inventor, Leon Theremin. It wasn’t long before she was playing Bach on it.

At sixteen, she realised she could use her theremin expertise to secure a scholarship. She went on to make her Carnegie Hall debut on the theremin – not piano – in 1932.

Around the same time, Tureck also began studying with pianist and harpsichordist Gavin Williamson in Chicago. In the 1920s, when there were only a couple of dozen harpsichords in the country, Williamson and his partner Philip Manuel went to Paris to commission a reproduction. They played a major role in resurrecting the instrument in America.

Williamson passed along his love of the harpsichord – and especially Bach as played on the harpsichord – to Tureck.

Revelations at Juilliard

Rosalyn Tureck

When Tureck auditioned for Juilliard in 1931, the audition committee asked her to play a Bach Prelude and Fugue. She asked, “Which one?” Turns out she had all of them memorised and was prepared to play any.

Needless to say, she was accepted into Juilliard. She began studying with Olga Samaroff, a teacher well-known for encouraging the unique creative voices of her students.

One day, while at Juilliard, she had an epiphany about the works.

One Wednesday, I started studying the Fugue in A minor from the WTC First Book.

At a certain point, I lost consciousness, and when I regained it, I had a sort of revelation. All of a sudden, I had within my reach a penetration of Bach’s structure, of his entire sense of form…

A door had opened for me on an entirely different world.

This epiphany at college would form the basis of her professional specialty.

Rosalyn Tureck playing Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in A Minor   

Promoting Bach

In 1937, Tureck played six all-Bach concerts in New York City. Such a specialty was unusual at the time. She began presenting these performances annually.

It took time to win over the critics, but she eventually did. In 1944, the New York Times wrote about her performance of the Goldberg Variations that she “gave each variation with so distinctive a character and with such verve and vitality that the listener had the illusion of hearing Bach himself playing them on the harpsichord.”

Other musicians were also engaging with Bach’s keyboard works around this time. In 1946, harpsichordist Wanda Landowska made a recording of the Goldberg Variations, and it sold unexpectedly well.

Tureck went into the studio herself in 1947, creating her own recording of the Goldberg Variations.  

In 1949, a sixteen-year-old Glenn Gould came to one of her New York Bach concerts. He was absolutely dazzled by her and her recordings.

Glenn Gould at the piano

He later remembered Tureck:

She was the first person who played Bach in what seemed to me a sensible way. It was playing of such uprightness, to put it into the moral sphere. There was such a sense of repose that had nothing to do with languor, but rather with moral rectitude in the liturgical sense.

He also said:

I was fighting a battle in which I was never going to get a surrender flag from my teacher on the way Bach should go, but her records were the first evidence that one did not fight alone.

Gould himself went on to make his own legendary, hugely influential recording of the Goldberg Variations in 1955.

Embracing New Technology

Leon Theremin © thereminworld.com

Tureck’s expertise didn’t stop at Bach. Even during her time at Juilliard, she began exploring her interest in electronic instruments. She actually began studying the theremin with Theremin himself.

Later, she’d become fascinated with the artistic possibilities inherent in electronic keyboards.

For twenty years, she worked with researcher Dr. Hugo Beniof, a seismologist who worked at CalTech and was developing electronic keyboards. The two wanted to create an instrument that played like a piano and had a wide dynamic range.

After Beniof’s death, despite the fact that the instrument had never been truly perfected, a performance featuring it was organised at the Hollywood Bowl. Marketing materials heralded that the electronic piano would be louder than an entire orchestra.

The invention was conceptually interesting and pushed the bounds of technology at the time. Unfortunately, in the end, it turned out that a loud piano had limited commercial appeal, but it was still a testament to Tureck’s fascination with pushing boundaries.

Contemporary Music

Rosalyn Tureck

Tureck also loved contemporary music, championing many new works over the course of her career.

She premiered Copland’s challenging piano sonata in Britain; Diamond wrote his first piano sonata in 1947 for her; and she premiered William Schuman’s 1942 piano concerto.  

In 1949, she founded the Contemporary Music Society, and she ran the organisation until 1953.

She even composed herself, even studying for a time with Schoenberg. In 1952, in the words of her obituary, “she presented the first programme in the United States of tape and electronic music.”

Travels and Teaching

For decades, Rosalyn Tureck traveled across America and the world giving performances.

She founded her own orchestra – the Tureck Bach Orchestra – which performed between 1960 and 1972.

She also became the first woman to conduct at a New York Philharmonic subscription concert in 1958. Leonard Bernstein conducted the program, but he stepped aside during the Bach concerto so that she could conduct from the piano.  

Teaching was a major part of her life. Over the course of her career, she taught at a number of institutions, including the Philadelphia Conservatory, the Mannes School of Music, Juilliard, Columbia University, and Oxford.

She was also the author of a number of books, including the three-volume Introduction To The Performance Of Bach, and also edited editions of various Bach works.  

The list of musical organisations she founded is staggering. Here’s the list in her obituary:

“Composers of Today, New York City, 1949-53; the International Bach Society in 1966, and the Institute for Bach Studies, New York, two years later; the Tureck Bach Institute, New York, 1966-90; and last but not least, the Tureck Bach Research Foundation (TBRF) of Oxford in 1993.”

Final Years and Legacy

Rosalyn Tureck

In the 1990s, Tureck moved to Oxford to oversee the TBRF. Her wide-ranging interests and huge personality proved to be irresistible.

In the words of her obituary:

The TBRF held an annual symposium at which distinguished speakers from different disciplines – ranging from music to astrophysics and Egyptology – addressed the same topic, such as structure or embellishment.

At those meetings, Tureck played Bach on everything from the harpsichord to the Steinway and the synthesiser – often on several instruments during one concert – and she had little patience for the restrictive attitudes that declared Bach should only be played on historical instruments.

Rosalyn Tureck died in July 2003. She left behind a reputation for being one of the most imaginative keyboard artists of the twentieth century.

Happy Birthday Johann Sebastian Bach

by Hermione Lai, Interlude

Johann Sebastian Bach—one name says it all! On 21 March, we celebrate one of the most revered and influential composers who ever lived. His compositions fill the air with harmony and joy, and his genius continues to inspire the world.

J.S. Bach

Bach’s music has left an indelible mark. From the intricate melodies in his fugues to the emotional depth of his cantatas, Bach’s work pushed the boundaries of what music could express.

Bach’s genius transcends time! His music is a living and breathing testament to the power of creativity and the beauty of sound; they will continue to inspire admiration and awe.

To celebrate his birthday, let’s dive into the wondrous world of his Orchestral Suites, where Baroque brilliance dances with every single note. These timeless masterpieces have enchanted listeners for centuries, and here are the 10 most popular gems that make these suites unforgettable.

Air on a G String (Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068 “Air” 

We just as well get started with one of Bach’s biggest hits ever. The “Air” from his Suite No. 3 is pure and unadulterated musical magic. Many times we see it referenced as “Air on a G String.” That title is not by Bach but comes from an arrangement fashioned in the 19th century.

The soothing and relatively simple melody is one of the composer’s most serene and timeless works. With its hauntingly delicate strings and serene atmosphere, it sounds like a gentle musical embrace.

In Bach’s original version, the piece is typically played on a single string on the violin, and in the lower register. That warm tone is central to the feeling of calm and elegance. The melody unfolds naturally and almost seems to breathe on its own. It transcends time with its graceful simplicity and profound beauty.

Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067 “Badinerie” 

Bach had this unbelievable genius for turning a simple theme into an unforgettable masterpiece. If you need proof, just listen to the “Badinerie” from his 2nd Orchestral Suite. It is one of his most recognisable and frequently performed compositions.

The title “Badinerie” designates a piece of music light-hearted in character. In French it literally means “jesting,” and Bach presents a vibrant and playful piece characterised by a lively tempo and spirited rhythm.

The melody is primarily carried by the flute and seems almost mischievous at times. It dances through a series of short and rhythmic motifs, and Bach cleverly repeats and transforms these ideas to maintain both interest and drive. It is a masterpiece full of energy and charm and presents Bach’s skill in creating a highly dynamic but intricate musical conversation.

Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066 “Overture” 

One of the all-time Bach favourites, the “Overture” from his 1st Orchestral Suite blends grandeur and elegance in a way that only Bach can. It sets the ceremonial tone for the entire work, and for Bach the title “Overture” generally means “French Overture.”

Musically, that means a slow and majestic introduction followed by a lively and highly contrapuntal section. We can hear the ceremonial dignity in the stately and dotted opening rhythm, but Bach is also building anticipation for the lively section ahead.

Everything starts to dance in the second part, as Bach shifts to a more joyful character with different instrumental voices interacting in lively conversation. The strings lead and create an energetic exchange with the woodwinds and brass. The overture returns to the slow opening rhythm, giving us the impression of having witnessed something noble and celebratory.

Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068 “Gavotte I & II” 

Nobody dances like Johann Sebastian Bach. For some of his most popular examples we don’t need to look further than the Gavotte movements from his 3rd Orchestral Suite. This Gavotte pair reflects the grace of this courtly dance, which Bach infuses with great musical sophistication.

The first “Gavotte” immediately grabs the listener’s attention. The theme is simple, but it feels luxuriously rich due to Bach’s use of harmony and ornamentation. The upbeat rhythm and evenly spaced phrases provide a natural sense of forward motion.

The second “Gavotte” is a bit more reflective, with a slower and more lyrical quality. The musical texture is more transparent with woodwinds and strings creating moments of dialogue. This movement sounds more introspective, yet always retains a feeling of gracefulness. It’s pure Bach, as he blends rhythmic playfulness with harmonic depth and creates timeless delights.

Suite No. 4 in D Major, BWV 1069 “Bourrée I & II” (Cologne Chamber Orchestra; Helmut Müller-Brühl, cond.)

Monument of J.S. Bach in Eisenach, Germany

Bach was the undisputed master of turning simply dance forms into something both dynamic and sophisticated. If you don’t believe me, just take a listen to the pair of Bourrées from the 4th Orchestral Suite.

Bach’s treatment of these fast-paced and duple-time French dances is brimming with infectious energy captured within an intricate musical structure. The first Bourrée opens with a buoyant and immediately recognisable theme. What a sprightly and straightforward melody that gives this dance a playful and almost conversational feel.

The second Bourrée, while still in the same lively spirit, introduces a bit more contrast with a slightly different character. It opens in a similar fashion, with an energetic, clear melody, but there is a subtle shift in tone with the movement feeling slightly more intricate. Although rooted in the tradition of the Baroque dance, Bach is simply genius by elevating a simple form to a level of enduring artistic expression.

Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067 “Rondeau” 

Let’s next feature another favourite lively and charming dance movement. The “Rondeau” from the 2nd Suite is in a basic rondo structure, where a recurring theme alternates with contrasting episodes. It’s all about creating a sense of continuity and variety.

The “Rondeau” theme is bright, rhythmically energetic, and immediately engaging. We can easily feel the strong dance-like pulse, and a feeling of momentum and lightness. And just listen to that delightful and lively conversation between the strings and the woodwinds.

The contrasting episodes are more lyrical but harmonically more complex. With the string section in the background, the woodwinds are given the opportunity to shine by adding colour and texture. The recurring theme sounds familiar and joyful, while the contrasting episodes offer variety and a touch of elegance.

Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067 “Sarabande”

J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 – III. Sarabande

The lively and high-spirited dances in the Bach Orchestral Suites are contrasted by deeply expressive and poignant movements. Such is the case with the “Sarabande,” a slow and elegant dance originating from Spain, from the 2nd Suite.

From the very beginning, this dance radiates a sense of gravity and introspection. In this particular dance the focus falls on the second beat of each measure, creating a slight emphasis. This in turn creates a gentle lilt that drives the movement forward without rushing it.

Bach composes a noble and flowing melody, with long legato phrases providing a vocal-like quality. And astonishingly, every phrase unfolds naturally, inviting the listener into a space of reflection. Bach also adds a harmonically rich tapestry, shifting unhurriedly beneath the long melodic lines. It’s all about the subtle emotional nuances as Bach creates a deeply expressive movement of timeless splendor.

Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066 “Forlane” 

If you’re looking for a sense of joyous celebration, look no further than the “Forlane” from Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 1. This dance of Italian origin is typically in a moderate 6/8 metre, and Bach uses this basic structure to create a piece full of rhythmic momentum, melodic charm, and intricate phrasing.

While the overall form is straightforward, Bach deliciously propels the music forward by relying on the natural division of each measure into two groups of three beats. The melody is lively and playful, and it dances across the strings using crisp motifs that often occur in the form of a question and answer.

The harmony moves through major keys providing a sense of openness and warmth with occasional slight harmonic surprises. Unexpected modulations or shifts in tonality add a touch of colour and keep the music from becoming predictable. What a perfect and popular example of Bach’s ability to infuse dance music with both vibrancy and grace.

Suite No. 2 in B minor , BWV 1067 “Polonaise”

Johann Sebastian Bach playing the organ, c. 1881

For a beautiful dance of grace and dignity, let’s turn to the “Polonaise” from the 2nd Orchestral Suite. This dance is charming and expressive, with Bach showcasing a graceful melody, elegant ornamentation, rhythmic vitality, and subtle harmonic shifts.

Since it is written in the minor mode, this dance has a slightly sombre and reflective tone. But not to worry as Bach often brightens the mood with delicious modulations and harmonic shifts. The flute plays a key role, presenting the main theme while the string section provides a rich harmonic backdrop.

The rhythmic drive and moderate tempo allow for a stately procession, while the melodies and ornaments provide a sense of joyful elegance. The dance feels lively by capturing both the grandeur of the courtly setting and the joyful spirit of dance. Bach once again blends technical mastery with musical expressiveness.

Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068 “Gigue” 

Every good dance needs a rousing finale, and that’s exactly what we get in the “Gigue” from the 3rd Orchestral Suite. The gigue was a very common dance during the Baroque, and its fast pace and often skipping rhythm reflects the joyful spirit of this particular dance form.

The memorable melody in this dance unfolds in long, flowing phrases that are energetic and graceful. Bach adds a number of ornaments to the lively rhythm to add a layer of expressivity and elegance.

What a fantastic, high-energy movement full of rhythmic complexity and joyful exuberance. And just listen to the marvellous interplay between the instruments to create that sense of dialogue and energy. The music is never standing still, and the same can truly be said of Johann Sebastian’s incredible musical mind.

The Orchestral Suites are a radiant celebration of Bach’s elegance and musical ingenuity. Each suite presents a tapestry of contrasting emotions, weaving together joyous dances, delicate melodies, and intricate counterpoint. Together, they stand as some of the most cherished works in Bach’s orchestral repertoire, leaving us with an uplifting sense of musical fulfillment and joy.